Jennifertoo

We are headed to Thailand in January for our first time! 3 days in Bangkok and then Phuket.
Since this is my first time planning a trip to Thailand, I didn't realize that there are two airports. So on our last day our flight from Phuket arrives at DMK at 2:10 pm and we depart BKK for the US at 5:40 pm. Is 3.5 hours enough time to get off the plane and get luggage, transfer from DMK to BKK and still get to our departing flight? It seems tight to me, but I don't want to waste money on Another flight if I don't need to.

Tchiowa

99 times out of 100 you're fine as long as you stay on the highways and pay the tolls. Street level at that time of afternoon can be iffy.

DirtyDan

I've never taken it, but there's a free bus that runs between the two airports. Depending on traffic, it could be 45 minutes to 1.5 hours...

If you're stressed, I would agree that a taxi is the quicker option and will provide plenty of time.

transpac

What is the exact day/date? Weekday? Weekend?

The biggest challenge may be getting a taxi at DMK, at the proper Arrivals level queue. Some report waits of 30 - 60 minutes.

I was at DMK last week, ~ 11:30 AM and the queue looked hopeless; I went to up to the Departures level where there were quite a few taxis waiting around after having dropped customers off, and was away in 30 seconds. You could also walk out to Vibhavadi-Rangsit Road and flag down a passing taxi.

Obviously a TG or PG flight from HKT-BKK, which while more expensive (although factoring in a taxi, the total price might be more equivalent), would be simpler and easier.

whackyjacky

^^^^^ Just grab a taxi up at Departures and you'll be fine. IME over 15 years, the taxi queue is almost always bad. A couple hours later the trip time might be sketchy. Keep opening doors and saying "taxi meter". It may take 3 or 4 before 1 will flip the meter. Nobody flying into BKK is going to come anywhere near a price match unfortunately, unless PG is doing a BOGO w/Visa or Amex (which happens occasionally). "You could also walk out to Vibhavadi-Rangsit Road and flag down a passing taxi. " - If one doesn't want to do Departures, better to just take the walkway over to the Amari to grab a cab.

RustyC

I've also done it by taking the B30 bus to Mo Chit, then the skytrain to Phaya Thai, then the airport link (probably somewhere around B110-120 total that way, but best to be light on bags). Admittedly it's not likely best for first-timers, but it maximizes rail vs. road miles.

Have also been to DMK when taxi supply/demand isn't favorable, though work-arounds suggested are good ones, as essentially you're trying to avoid long lines. OTOH, there may still be problems with drivers not wanting to use the meter (Welcome to Bangkok!).

As others have mentioned, you definitely want to pick tollways over surface streets when there's a choice, even though you have to pay the tolls (most taxi drivers understand "go highway"). The whole system is really a failed privatization where revenue didn't meet expenses, so the only way to boost revenue was to raise tolls. So now it's mostly an underutilized expressway for farangs and wealthy Thais whilst the jam ups on the surface streets that it was supposed to relieve continue. A wreck onthe tollway can tir things in knots and some taxi drivers drive like maniacs, but odds overall are much more favorable there if time is tight.

dsquared37

I was about to post this yesterday and decided not to because it's not necessarily a quick method. There might be waiting time prior to the bus departing DMK and there could be some traffic on the roads before/after the highway stint. Also you might need to wait up to 20 min for the ARL as departures from Phaya Thai are only every 20 min these days.

If everything works smoothly it could take a little over an hour.... when things go pear shaped you could be looking at 2+.

I happen to like this method of getting my butt away from DMK but I'm sure it would be my method of choice to transit between airports.

The DMK expressway is the most expensive stretch in the Bangkok network. For years the Thai govs refused to raise the toll on the stretch while a German company, who built it and operated it, took huge losses. Once that company went into bankruptcy and the Thai gov took over the road the tolls increased. Or something like that.